The various UK railway operators have settled on a single standard for mobile-based barcode tickets. The agreement means that a single, common, secure barcode system will be implemented, and also that a single mobile ticket will be able to be used across operators – a major step forward.
The new standard, RSPS3001, means that there will be progression toward both Mobiles, and home-print tickets – which should hopefully replace the usual method of ticket-buying right now – walking up to a person in a kiosk (or a ticket machine at the station)…. and queue queue queueing!
The application developer is a company called Masabi, which has already delivered systems to National Express (UK bus company) and Heathrow Express – so some good pedigree then basically.
Apparently the system will include enough offline functionality contained in the ticket, to still function if the system goes down… I guess we’ll see about that when it goes live – not that I am pessimistic or anything 🙂
[Via: Cellular-News.com]